Exercise of the Week

Everybody knows what a squat jump is. If you don’t, you’ve probably done one without even realizing what is was. It is a great exercise for both lower body strength and a little bit of cardio. So, why not make it a little better? This week I’ve taken the movement and added just a slight “twist” to it. It’s a very simple addition. An addition that we have, in fact, used in class plenty of times, but one that is worth showing off here.

Front View

Not a lot different from a regular squat jump outside of the obvious twisting motion going down. Touch your right hand to your left toe and jump up quickly. In a smooth motion on the landing, touch your left hand to your right toe and jump again. That is 2 repetitions. Keep your feet just outside of shoulder width. This will limit rotational force on the knees with the twisting nature of the exercise. Focus also on keeping your core tight, as always, and crunching those abs while you rotate on the way down.

Side View

Notice here that even though I am bringing my hands all the way down, I am not simply bending at my hips. I’m using my legs – by bending at the knees – to get down to the floor. Push the hips back on the way down and explode up onto and then off of the toes on the way up.

**This intensity of this exercise can be modified based on fitness level. If you are a beginner, then simply reach your hands over your head at the top. If you are advanced, jump as high as possible on each rep and increase the speed of the movement. Doing this will add a great cardiovascular aspect to the movement.